Mud box



Sept. 1 0, 1940. W J MlLLER 2,214,428

v MUD BOX PIU- mJe /n /Z C) if 3 J QI 5 o' l T 3) Il Y T rwcm/bofa 1. Z5y 7 /7 MJMzer 3 ,i

Sept- 10, 1940 w. J. MILLER 2,214,428 MUD Box Filed April l5, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 [AAJ/Villar Patented Sept. 10, 1940 l UNITED i STATESPATENT OFFICE MUD BOX William J. Miller, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 15, 1939, Serial No. 268,090

7 Claims.

often the lower end of a pipe or tubing or drill stem is plugged up andin removing the samek from the hole the drill tube or stem is unscrewedor broken down into sections for placement in the derrickv or forchanging drill bits or other equipment. When removing the tube or stemwith the lower end stopped up or partially stopped, the uid in the tubeor stem above the rotary with the present equipment now in use is wastedand splashed over the derrick iloor after a'section is unscrewed. Thiswaste results in a material loss of the mud fluid from the bore or hole.It is an object of my invention to provide a mud box to eliminate thisdisadvantage.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved mud boxwhereby certain important advantages are attained and the devicerendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient andadvantageous for use, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of my invention will hereinafter be definitelyclaimed.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in top planA of a mud box constructed in accordancewith an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a View in side elevation of the box as illustrated in Figure1;

Figure 3 is a View in rear elevation of the box as herein disclosed;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line llof Figure1 with the box in applied position upon a drill tube or stem;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary View in top plan showing my improved box inopen adjustment after application to or removal from the drill tube orstem.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, my improved boxv comprises anelongatedv back plate I arcuate in cross section and which has hingedlyconnected, as at 2, to the longitudinal marginal portions thereoftheside plates 3 also arcuate in cross'section. When the plates 3 are inclosed position they coact with the back'or 5 rear plate I to provide asubstantially cylindrical box which, when in applied position, surroundsa drill tube or stem D above and below the connection Il betweenadjacent sections of the tube or stem'D. A

The opposite end portions of the back or rear plate I are provided withthe inwardly disposed flanges 5 preferably welded inapplied position andbolted, as at I, to the inner face of each of these flanges 5 is anarcuate packing block 'I 15 preferably of a rubber compound. Each ofthese blocks 'I is adapted to' tightly contact with a peripheral portionof the drill'tube or stem to which it is applied. The upper and lowerend portions of the side plates 3 also have welded 20 or otherwisesuitably secured theretothe inwardly disposed llanges 8 to the innerface of each of which is bolted, as at I0, or otherwise securelyfastened the additional packing blocks 9 also preferably of a rubbercompound and intended to 25 have close contact with the peripheralportions oi the drill tube or stem. The-several blocks I and 9 are soformed that when the side plates 3 are in closed position the blocks 'Iand 9 coact to provide packing elements entirely surrounding 30 the tubeor stem D at points, as illustrated in Figure 4, above and below theconnection or joint 4 between adjacent sections of the drill pipe orstem after said connection or joint has been raised up above the rotary.

The inner marginal portions of the side plates 3 are providedtherealongwith the sealing strips II adapted to lap the adjacentmarginal portion of the b-ack or rear plate I when the side plates 3 arein closed position thus effectively p-revent- 40 ing leakage between theclosed plates I and 3. The outer longitudinal marginal portion of one ofthe plates 3 also carries a sealing or closing plate I2 to lap 'anadjacent marginal portion ofthe second side plate 3.

The lower portion of the rear or back plate I is provided with a drainnipple I4 to which a hose is adapted to be attached to allow the fluidcollected within the applied-mud box to be returned tothe well bore orother place desired. 50

It is believed to be apparent that with my improved mud box in appliedposition, as the upper section of the drill tube or section is unscrewedor broken down the mud fluid therein will drain out into the applied boxand then 55 3 lever I9.

drain out through the nipple I4. By this a full recovery of the mudfluid is obtained and without splashing of the mud over the derrick andsurfaces adjacent thereto which would endanger the crew.

The side plates 3 have secured thereto at points substantially midwaytheir ends the rearwardly directed arms I5. The outer end portion of oneof these arms I5 is pivotally connected, as at I6, to the end portionsof the links II. These links II` extend inwardly of the plate I and havetheir adjacent end portions provided with openings IS. These openings I8are adapted to be aligned and the lever I9 freely disposed in saidholes.

'Ihis lever I9 is also freely disposed through an eye 29 carried by anend portion of a shank 2| which threads within the Clevis 22; Thisclevis 22 is pivotally engaged with the outer end portion of the secondarm I5. I'he lever I9 is of desired length and extends lengthwise of theback or rear plate I and has its upper end portion pivotally connected,as at 23, between the outstanding ears 24 carried by the upper portionof the back or rear plate I. This lever I9 has a portion 25 extendingabove the pivot 23 and which portion 25 constitutes a stop for contactwith the back or rear plate I to limit the extent of upward swingingmovement of the lower portion of the It is to be stated that this extentof swinging movement of the lever I9 also depends upon the distancebetween the pivot 23 and the back or rear plate I plus the length of theportion 25.

As the lower end of the lever I9 is swung outwardly the side plates 3will be swung into their open positions as illustrated in Figure 6whereupon the box may be readily placed upon the drill tube or stem Dafter which the lever I9 is forced inwardly and swinging the side plates3 into their closed position with the various packing blocks 'I and 9 inclose contact with the drill tube or stem above or below the connectionor coupling 4.

The shank 2| provides means whereby such adjustment can be made asrequired to obtain the most effective tension to hold the box around thedrill pipe or stem after the inner ends of the links and the shank 2|engaged with the lever I9 have passed inwardly beyond the swingingcenter of the lever I9.

In practice the extent of movement at the points of engagement of thelinks I'I and the shank` 2| with the lever I9 is only about three inchesand the distance between the pivot 23 for the lever i9 and the. portionof the lever with which the links II and shank 2| engage isapproximately three feet. Therefore, the lever I9 may be readily swungaway from the rear or back plate i a distance sucient to impose an.approximately three inch pull upon the links I'I and the shank 2| beforethe stop 25 contacts with the back or rear plate I.

It is also to be pointed out that the openings in the links I'l and inthe eye 29 through which the lever I9 is directed are of diametersslightly larger than that of the portion of the lever I9 extendingtherethrough so that the resultant looseness of the engagement betweenthe lever I9 and the links II and the shank 2| will readily allow thedesired swinging of the lever I9 without binding of the parts.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a mudbox constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly welladapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which itmay be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that myinvention is susceptible of some change and modification withoutdeparting from the principles and spirit thereof and for this reason Ido not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carryingout my invention in practice except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the back plate, packing blocks carried bythe opposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to tightlyengage the drill tube when the box is enclosed therearound, rearwardlydisposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted tothe backplate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and membersoperatively connected with the arms and with the lever for moving theside plates upon movement of the lever toward the back plate to closethe mud box and for opening said mud box upon movement of the lever awayfrom the back plate.

2. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the back plate, means` carried by theopposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantiallyclose the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drilltube, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a leverpivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate,and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever formoving the side plates upon movement of the lever toward the back plateto close the mud box and for opening said mud box upon movement of thelever away from the back plate, the pivotal connection between the leverandthe back plate being at a point above the arms.

3. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried by theopposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantiallyclose the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drilltube, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a leverpivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of` said back plate,and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever formoving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the levertoward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of thelever away from the back plate, one of the members connecting the leverwith an arm being so constructed and arranged to provide means forvarying the tension of the contact of the blocks upon the drill tube.

4. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising aback plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried by theopposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantiallyclose the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drilltube, rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a leverpivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate,members operatively connected with the armsand with the lever for movingthe side plates to close the I mud box upon movement of the lever towardthe back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the leveraway from the back plate, one of the members connecting the lever withan arm comprising a shankhaving an eye through 75- which the rod isdirected, and a clevis pivotally connected to the arm, the shankthreading into the clevis.

5. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the backr plate, means carried by theopposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantiallyclose the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drilltube, rearwardly disposed arms carried .by the side plates, a leverpivoted to the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate,and members operatively connected with the arms and with the lever formoving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the levertoward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of thelever away from the back plate, the pivotal connection between the leverand the back plate .being outwardly offset with respect to the backplate to allow the lever when moved toward the back plate to movebeyonda center into locking position.

6. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried .by theopposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantiallyclose the ends vof the box when the box is enclosed around the drilltube,

rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side plates, a lever pivoted tothe back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, and mem-.bers operatively connected with the arms and with the lever for movingthe side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the lever towardthe back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of the leveraway from the back plate, the pivoted end portion of the lever being ex-`tended toy provide a stop for Contact with the back plate to limit theextent of swinging movement of the lever proper away from the backplate.

7. A mud box for embracing a drill tube comprising a back plate, sideplates hingedly connected to the back plate, means carried by theopposite end portions of the back plate and side plates to substantiallyclose the ends of the box when the box is enclosed around the drilltube,

rearwardly disposed arms carried by the side h' plates, a lever pivotedto the back plate and extending lengthwise of said back plate, andmembers operatively connected with the arms and with the lever formoving the side plates to close the mud box upon movement of the levertoward the back plate and for opening said mud box upon movement of thelever away from the back plate.

l WILLIAM J. MILLER.

